SURPRISED BY THE QUEEN.
The last college we visited was Cardinal Wolsey's—an immense fabric. While roving about a very spacious apartment, Mr. Fairly[212] came behind me, and whispered that I might easily slip out into a small parlour, to rest a little while; almost everybody having taken some opportunity to contrive themselves a little sitting but myself. I assured him, very truly, I was too little tired to make it worth while; but poor Miss Planta was so woefully fatigued that I could not, upon her account, refuse to be of the party. He conducted us into a very neat little parlour, belonging to the master of the college, and Miss Planta flung herself on a chair, half dead with weariness.
Mr. Fairly was glad of the opportunity to sit for a moment also; for 'my part, I was quite alert. Alas! my dear Susan, 'tis my mind that is so weak, and so open to disorder;—my body, I really find, when it is an independent person, very strong, and capable of much exertion without suffering from it.
Mr. Fairly now produced, from a paper repository concealed in his coat pocket, some apricots and bread, and insisted upon my eating—but I was not inclined to the repast, and saw he was half famished himself—so was poor Miss Planta: however, he was so persuaded I must both be as hungry and as tired as himself, that I was forced to eat an apricot to appease him.
Presently, while we were in the midst of this regale, the door suddenly opened, and the queen came in!—followed by as many attendants as the room would contain. Up we all started, myself alone not discountenanced; for I really think it quite respect-sufficient never to sit down in the royal presence, without aiming at having it supposed I have stood bolt upright ever since I have been admitted to it. Quick into our pockets was crammed our bread, and close into our hands was squeezed our fruit; by which I discovered that our appetites were to be supposed annihilated, at the same time that our strength was to be invincible.
Very soon after this we were joined by the king, and in a few minutes we all paraded forth to the carriages, and drove back to Nuneham.
I have been very minute in this Oxford account, because it presented scenes so new to me, and because I concluded that, after you have had a month or two of general journal, you will have nothing more to be new to either of us.
This Oxford expedition was, altogether, highly entertaining to me; but I ought not to close it without telling you the sweetness of all the princesses, who each made a point of speaking to, Miss Planta and to me upon entering or quitting every college, as we stood in the ranks, while they passed.